Protesters block police 'break-in'

Up to 30 police officers were blocked by protesters as they attempted to force their way onto the Heathrow airport climate change camp, campaigners said.

Organisers said a surprise move by police was greeted by alarms and more than 100 demonstrators raced to crowd the police officers back off the site.

Timothy Lever, one of the camp's spokesman, said: "A large number of police attempted to break into the camp and they were peacefully removed by a large crowd of protesters with their hands in the air who gradually moved the police away.

"The police gave us no warning and did not say why they were coming on the site. They did it after the media left."

Protesters have fiercely defended the field they are illegally occupying close to the boundary of the west London airport.

Since the camp first appeared on Sunday they have only allowed up to four officers to patrol on site to check for illegal activity.

Tensions earlier rose between protesters and police as officers attempted to photograph many of those arriving at the camp.

Protesters said police claimed afterwards they were attempting to count the numbers of those on the site.